HILL. v. GODFREY.

NZ Truth, Issue 604, 13 January 1917, Page 11

HILL. v. GODFREY.

Feather Champion Narrowly Wins. jTough Battle Decided on Points. There was a large attendance at the Sidney t Stadium on Monday (New Year's) ' nignt, and it- seemed strange to see the show begin m broad daylight, it being actually half- past 6 when it was half- past 7, if yiz'il excuse the bull. The; .explanation *is, the Daylight Saving Bill was 'm operation. Jimmy.; HUI had a | close, call with Godfrey, w^o conceded 'the feather champion closo on 81b, and he only •won from the time, about the sixteenth xouipid, when he made. up his mind to box and to not attempt a knockout ::'.'.,-, 'I Jimmy HiU weighed 9.6*4, end Syd. Godfrey 8.12%. They shot mutual lefts and Godfrey got the right heavily to the body. Hill was very 'careful- of Godfrey's whangIng power; and Syd did air the attacking. Hill' slipped and fell heavily In 1 his own corner, but was up as the gong rang "one," with a cheery laugh. Hill never fought a worse round m- his" life, and Godfrey's left hook had badly swollen Jim's right eye, while Syd. showed a puffed and reddened left cheek b~ondV Hill wasvery clover and evasive, m tho second, and got one beauty right to the body, but Syd's hooks over and under the guard were wicked ania powerful. In the' third Hill sparkled up, but a terribly hard left hook shook him up m two ways; j one was it made him fight, and he hurt Syd. badly with both hands, and seemed to treat him with less Vrespect and ,morp : offensiveness.

Godfrey ; shot the left to the dial to open the fourth, and HIU grabbed the glove and held it for 10 seconds. To what end? ' Jim hopped around and apparent, but ho couldn't dazzle the Imperturbable Godfrey, while he ripped his own right shoe open from toe to nearly heel; In the next Hill again claimed the^left and held it and was hooted. They both missed fearfal rights at the head, but ' Godfrey's left burst Jim's lips. Hill's seconds rigged a new boot during the interval, and Hill fought savagely m the 6th, landIng left to dial and right to Jaw several times. I Jim batted the left away and proceeded to slaughter Syd, but a terrific ; right that grazed the jaw made him! careful, and Godfrey got him with ti lovely double that would have spelled lco. but for a hah! turn of the head, and uppercut the face In dos« work.

They fibbed close' in the seventh, till, (bus Jim jigged awey, Syd put a heavy right to th«i jaw, and when' Jim clinched ho joltod the right to the jaw' ami chin. '-naif a dozen times, and made Hill miss badly m the open. Jim sha-dow-sparred for the first minute of the eighth, and Godfrey made him miss with a tremendous right smash, and

the house .roared. It also roared repeatedly, ''Get off, Hill." Toe to. toe m the ninth they swapped doubles with Godfrey m the ascendant, but then Jim ripped the body heavily and repeatedly and scored with both hands to the ears. Godfrey got the left to the jaw twice, just before the bell. ' Jim boxed his man m the 10th, 'but he only just head-moved a terrible right at the chin. L/ovely hoad work saved each m turn, and a slip by Godfrey was Hill's salvation, for;. the right Syd .threw just skimmed the point. Godfrey's straight lefts, to the face m the 11th .were.great, and unusual Where Hill is concerned. When God' frey missed, Jim 1 charged madly with a.- stiff -extended left; very unlike so clever a man., Godfrey /worried Jim a lot m the 12th, and made him, miss continually, but he landed one hard back-swing. Godfrey , was -•• blocking and ducking quite as well as HillHill fought furiously m the' l3th, but Godfrey ducked and dodged a lot, and a rip to the body was Jim's best score, Scott worded him. In his corner, about lying m. He was "ugly" m tbe 14th, and' made Godfrey miss badly, till Syd , bijrst his mouth again with straight lefts, and Hill was constrained, to lock his 'arms. A wag' aroused roars by wishing Scott a happy New Year. There was a lot of back-mov-ing and lovely ducking on both sides, m the' . 15th, till Hill /stood m &.nd whanged Godfrey m the latter!s corner. .- •;' ■ ■-.' '■■■ '■ -V- ; : : . ■ '-. .; Jim seemed to have made up his mind that he could not out Syd, so' he contented himself with boxing for points, but Syd brought on a rally, of which he had all the better. -.Hill's face waß now a lot out of plumb. An uppercut had Jim drunk m the. 17th, and only his great headwork saved his ba'coh. A left swing to the jaw m the 18th made Jim catch the rope for support, but tie out-boxed the youngster to the bell. Early m the 19th, Syd's tremendous right just grazed th« chin, as Jim ducked his head back, For thereat of the round Hill scored well m close work. , There was the usual excited hum as they were toiletted for the 20th. Hill went m and got Syd oh tbe ropes, but Godfrey chased him off, hitting furibusly for a. k.0., while Hill danced around and occasionally, hung on or butted m and punched. Hill the winner.